sharing sustainability

nwbicester

A2Dominion is developing the eco-town at NW Bicester. Elmsbrook, the first phase, is an endorsed One Planet Community, which means it has a One Planet Action Plan that has been reviewed and approved by environmental charity Bioregional. For the Equity and local economy principle, the One Planet Action Planstates:

” 30% of housing to be affordable. Creation of 430 jobs on-site over five years and a further 100 jobs in easy walking/cyclcing distance, 13 apprenticeships including ten in construction. Create vibrant local economy. Eco Business Centre to act as hub for start-up businesses. Training and volunteering opportunities linking with local colleges and groups. Local Management Organisation to be created with a democratic constitution.”

“On-Site job creation
o 430 new jobs to be created on-site over five years
o 50 new construction jobs, 20% will be local labour
o 100 additional new jobs off-site, in walking or cycling distance

Key jobs to be created on and around the development
o On-site retail, construction and a variety of retrofit jobs created town-wide as a result of the Exemplar (Elmsbrook)
o Community services including; nursery, teaching and related jobs in new primary school to be created and promoted to local residents via the Job Club and Job Centre Plus
o Home working encouraged with fibre-optic broadband. The Eco Business Centre to offer hot-desking, meeting rooms, business support and conference facilities
o Aspiration to create a new role for a ‘Community and Environment Officer’ and 10 ‘Green Champions’
o An estimated 60 new jobs in Bicester as a result of business growth and inward investment, all within walking / cycling distance

Emphasising the provision of high quality jobs and training opportunities
o Deliver an employment and training management plan to support apprenticeships and work placement opportunities to local residents in partnership with existing providers
o Ten construction apprenticeships, at least three others in landscape management, security and catering
o Work with local institutions to develop courses relating to eco-construction

Working with local plans and key stakeholders
o A2Dominion are working closely with Cherwell District Council and Bicester Town Council to respond to the One Shared Vision
o A ‘local business portal’ to encourage supply of products and services from local businesses has been established, working with the Chamber of Commerce and Bicester Vision
o Partnerships to be built with voluntary sector, training providers, local schools to deliver education and training
o Partnership with the Midcounties Co-op is under development

Developing the green economy
o Environmental goods and services to be available on site
o Support offered to incubate start-up green businesses
o Provision of up to 1,110 square metres of high quality, small office space in the Village Centre
o Promoting purchase of fair trade goods in local shops

Financial inclusion
o 30% of all dwellings to be Affordable Homes
o A2Dominion to support delivery of workshops on budgeting and myth-busting; demonstrating health and well-being benefits of low impact lifestyle choices
o Shared ownership schemes to be made available
o 11 self-finish units will offer the opportunity for home buyers to train in a trade and complete their home”

Their website has numerous suggestions of how to take action for happiness and details of groups and events. I particularly like the posters and have used them at work. The resilience poster resonates with me: “If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it”.

Nationally, the UK Office for National Statistics has been collecting data on personal wellbeing since 2012. A summary of the most recent findings (2015) can be found in the wellbeing section of the ONS website. These found that reported personal wellbeing has been increasing year on year between 2012 and 2015, though there is some debate about how subjective this might be.

” The Exemplar makes commitments to foster happier, stronger communities where residents can have more time for friends and family, exercising and being outdoors, getting to know their neighbours, feeling safer and more connected to where they live and the surrounding environment.”

This will be achieved by:

“Building a healthy community which supports convenient eco-lifestyles

Building exercise into people’s lives by making ‘active transport’ the norm

Providing information on and access to healthy eating

All homes to meet Lifetime homes standards and ‘Building for Life’ Silver, determined principles of ‘Secure by Design’ and ‘Community Streets’

All homes to have excellent levels of daylighting; with an ADF factor between 2 and 5 in all habitable areas

Excellent air quality and ventilation via natural ventilation in summer, MVHR in winter

Use of non-toxic finishes and minimal VOC eco-paints

Super-insulated buildings that stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer

Creating a ‘Community Development Strategy’

A2Dominion to work with all partners to build a strong sense of community at NW Bicester

Achieved through welcome events and activity days

Encouraging street parties and ‘get to know your neighbour’ evenings

Facilitating the formation of new Community Action Groups through Shimmy

Establish annual community events such as green Olympics

Work with the skills, knowledge and interests of residents to build a unique identity for the site

Feeling connected; promoting accessibility and inclusion

Via the in-home Shimmy device residents will feel connected to all the activities, events, services and support available

A2Dominion will deliver an ex-servicemen social enterprise project

Diversity amongst community groups in the area to be promoted

Links with existing organisations in Bicester town to be built

Building for the future: ensuring climate change adaptation

Site planning to mitigate against flood risks

Innovative research and modelling as part of a TSB project undertaken in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University investigated a range of adaptation measures to be applied to buildings, for a range of scenarios up to 2080